Does cabin category affect dining room seating?

[tropicbird]

Does anyone know if the dining room table assignments are at all related to the category of cabin one books? We've drawn some really out of the way (read not as desirable) tables recently and wonder if this might be because we book inside cabins?

 

...newly returned from the Grandeur (where they docked with the dent facing AWAY from the dock EVERY time!),

 

Tropicbird

Raleigh, NC

[AlisonoftheSeas]

That I am aware of, ,cabin catagory does not affect the table that you are seated at in the dining room. In one of my previous cruises I was booked in a very cheap inside cabin and was seated at a beautiful window table at the dining room.

[PhinsAndGills]

Hm...

 

Cruise #1 - porthole cabin on deck 2 = nice table nowhere near the window but in a nice location in the dining room. Still on edge of dining room.

 

Cruise #2 - Interior small cabin with 4 adults - edge of dining room, near kitchen, noisy. Table for 10, only 6 showed up each night.

 

Cruise #3 - large window exterior cabin on deck 3 - nice table, near (but not NEXT) to a window on the edge of the dining room.

 

So the most undesirable table we've had WAS in the smallest cabin, but we still had wonderful dining experiences. For me, it's more WHO you sit with than WHERE you're sitting. I think we would have enjoyed Cruise #2's table more if all had shown up. Cruise #3 was so much fun because the couples we were with were a lot of fun and we ended up spending much of our ship-time with the one couple. Cruise #1, we had a LIVELY bunch and just had an absolute blast at dinner each night (yes, for those of you who are wondering, it was under control and none of us were intoxicated... we were not the kind of lively that inturrupts dining for others...)

 

You got me thinking, yes, I guess the bigger the cabin, the better the table.

 

Now, this next cruise, I'm traveling with my family in a group of 5. Three of us have an interior room deck 7 and 2 have a superior balcony deck 7 (near our cabin.) So it will be interesting to see if we get a nice window table. My parents have gotten beautiful window tables when they've cruised in a balcony room before. NONE of us have ever booked a suite (nor ever will, probably...)

 

I'm interested to hear other's takes on this...

[emilygrace]

We've always had balcony cabins and have had a range of table assignments. I agree with the previous poster that it is WHO you sit with that makes or breaks the dining experience. On our last cruise we were at a table that felt very cramped but our table mates were so much fun that we never noticed it after the first night. This was a table for 8 and we had a great time every night (with no alcohol involved!) and really looked forward to dinner. The table next to us, right by the window, sat 12 and we never saw any of the people ever speak to one another. Ever. The whole cruise! I think the last night one of the ladies cracked a smile and I nearly fell off my chair, but due to our cramped situation, that wasn't possible. Still the best cruise we've been on.

[madforcruising]

I don´t think that your cabin has anything to do with your table assignment. At least on my cruises I doubt it. I never had a bad table, regardless of being in a lowest category outside or in a suite. I never had a window table even when in a suite but I´m not hunting for it because with late seating it´s dark most of the time so the window would be useless.

 

 

The fact that really makes me thinking it has nothing to do with each other is that all of my cruises I had large tables. The other people at the table usually have been staying in every category from inside to suites. So it was always a mixture.

[JMB]

DW and I were on Radiance for eastbound Panama Canal cruise in October 2004. Booked D-1 balcony cabin months in advance and requested large table so we could meet other folks. Result was table for four for just the two of us, not even in the main dining room, but rather in special events room next door.Tried unsuccessfully to get moved to a larger table. Food and service were very good, but I'm sure DW was sick of me by the time the 14th night's dinner rolled around! At least in this instance, cabin category had nothing to do with table assignment.

[Marie51]

I always wondered how this works. Everytime I have been in a balcony cabin on RCCL, I have been at a table with others in a balcony. A couple years ago I had a JS, and everyone at my table was in a JS also. So I came to the conclusion that they group people together based on the type of cabin you have.

[judiek]

We were on the Jewel last summer to the Baltic.We had an inside cabin..the only way we could afford to take that cruise.We were seated with 3 other couples that all had balcony cabins.Maybe they didnt know where else to put us.We have booked inside outside and balcony cabins and the only time we had a "bad table" was when we had a Promanade cabin on the Mariner.I really don't think cabin has anything to do with it.I would hope not anyway

[dougp26364]

First cruise was outside cabin deck 3. We were seated on second floor table next to the window in the back of the dining room. This was an Alaskan cruise so the table next to the window was wonderful.

 

Second cruise was Alaska as well but we were in a balcony cabin. We had an interior table main floor. Not a prime location for Alaska

 

Third cruise was in a JS. Initial table was interior center next to one of the wait stations the assitant waiters use for water ect. Very poor table location IMO. After that night we were asked if we would switch to another table, next to the window. I wasn't sure if we had insulted our table mates or what had happened. We agreed to move and when we went to dinner we found that a family had been seated at our previous table. I assume they had asked to all be at one table but had been split up around the dining room. Also, the couple we were seated with had another group which had been at the their table the night before which had caused some sort of issues. They had been moved and we were seated in their place. We all got along great and if made for a wonderful cruise. Our original table mates were fine as well and I did miss seeing them at diner the rest of the cruise.

[hstrybuf]

I really think they're more concerned with the numbers i.e. getting everyone seated and at a table size that was requested. We've had a wide variety of tables (and tablemates) and were booked in balcony cabins on all except the first cruise.

[Nothin' But Sun]

Inside cabins for both VOS and NOS. On VOS seated beside a window in a good location. Our tablemates had balconies. On the NOS seated in the center of the dinning room, with people that had suites, balconies, and outside.

[rccruisers]

Does anyone know if the dining room table assignments are at all related to the category of cabin one books? We've drawn some really out of the way (read not as desirable) tables recently and wonder if this might be because we book inside cabins?

 

Tropicbird

Raleigh, NC

 

Tropicbird...North Carolina here as well. :D

We have experienced this...our cruises we have taken have been a variety of different cabins...inside, ocean view, balcony and suite. We enjoyed each cabin the time we were sailing but never found while cruising, we were placed in the dining room for "special" seating because of our cabin assignment.

Good question though...made me stop and think of the location of some of our past tablemates. Most of our cruises have been inside cabins and we have been placed lots of times in the center of the dining room, (our favorite spot) or had the opportunity to eat with the captain, which we always enjoy. Actually, only in general conversation have we found out the type of cabin someone has.

One time, we had a terrible placement...near the door where the waiters come out with the food. We stayed, because the people were so much fun and we enjoyed and looked forward seeing them each night.

Our hopes when going to the table that first night...our tablemates are friendly, enjoy cruising as much as we do, have a good attitude, and speak our language, LOL. If you don't speak our lanugage, (English) we will make the most of it...and still have a good time. :)

 

We have been blessed with wonderful tablemates over the years and made lots of good memories and lasting friendships.

[capnlars]

It does for special requests. I've seen many posts about not being able to get a table for 2, even honeymooners etc. We have requested and gotten table for 2 on the Monarch twice and have had the same confirmed for the Mariner in July. We had booked OS on all of these and I'm pretty sure that was the key.

[jaynak]

Last week, on the Vision, at least on the main dining level, the window tables were all tables for 10. If you asked for a table for 2,4,6,or 8, I guess you wouldn't ever get a window table. I didn't walk upstairs though so it may have been a completely different setup there.

[baseballmom]

On our first (and only) cruise last year, we had a very nice table for 8 in the center of the dining room and all of our tablemates had JS cabins next to, or near ours.

 

On our next cruise next month, we're in a balcony cabin. I asked for a large table and my TA requested a table for 6. We'll check it out when we get on board, and if it's off in a dark corner somewhere I'll request a change, if possible. I'm traveling with my teen son, and someone told me that sometimes they try to put similar families together, so perhaps we'll be with another twosome or family that has a teen with them.

 

Happy cruising, everyone.

 

Laurie

[PVDCruiser]

My family was only a group of three, so we were with a family of seven (three generations). We were away from a window, but hey, we were right next to the captain's table! :)

[ata1976]

Every cruise we have had we have sat at a window table. Have booked only insides and oceanviews. No balconies.

Have 7 people booked for SOS in October so am wondering if they will put is at a table by ourselves or will try to get a family of 3 so we have a table for 10.

[Pumbaamd]

I believe it depends how hard the dining room staff wants to work at it. On our last Brilliance cruise, we requested a small table. We ended up at a table for ten! All five couples were C&A members, and all located on the same part of the ship with balconies. We had a great time at dinner every night. The Brilliance staff evidently worked hard at their dinner table placements.

[gizfish]

I think the real way dining tables are assigned is that they take all the room keys before every one boards, throw them up in the air in the dining room, and wherever the card lands is where you sit.

[bob brown]

Had an E2 balcony on the Radiance 1May. Prior to cruise I filled out an RCI questionaire asking for dining preferences. Requested early seating, on large table. They also asked what age group we preferred for tablemates.We ended up at early seating at table #450, which is located toward center, lower level, slightly portside near foot of grand stairway. There were eleven(!) of us at table and we enjoyed the company very much. Only problem with the large table was the room was a bit noisy, and it was hard to hear those on opposite side speak. Our waitress was outstanding, and her assistant did a good job too.

[Merion_Mom]

Gee, it never occurred to me to ask our tablemates what kind of cabin they had......:)

 

Carol

[madforcruising]

Gee, it never occurred to me to ask our tablemates what kind of cabin they had......:)

 

Carol

 

Hi Carol,

 

of course I wouldn´t asked as well but with many of my tablemates I made friends and some of them are still after many years. Sometimes during the cruise it came up in the conversation that someone talked about the deck they are on or how they liked their cabin. Also sometimes when spending time outside from the dining room together we visited each other for a sailaway drink, or we exchanged cabin numbers to call each others when and where to meet.

Of course this was not always the case and I don´t know this from all my tablemates;) .

 

Sometimes you can also find out by accident. Once I remember being out on my balcony and I heard people talking and thought I know the voices and the accent. So I looked over the railing and saw two of my tablemates on the balcony beneath.

[Merion_Mom]

Hi Carol,

.......Sometimes you can also find out by accident. Once I remember being out on my balcony and I heard people talking and thought I know the voices and the accent. So I looked over the railing and saw two of my tablemates on the balcony beneath.

Hmmmm......Gunnar, did you see anything INTERESTING?!?!?!?!? :D

[madforcruising]

Hmmmm......Gunnar, did you see anything INTERESTING?!?!?!?!? :D

 

No, but heard some interesting conversation :eek: :D .

[Janice1265]

We were on the Grandeur last week as well. We were seated at a table for 6 in the middle of the dining room - main seating.

 

For the first two nights, only 4 of us showed and then they switched someone to our table the 3rd night.

 

We had a Deck 7 Balcony and the other couples had Deck 4 oceanview and a Deck 5 inside. Our ages varied. One couple was in their early 30's, we in our "almost" 40's, and the other couple was in their mid 50's. We had a great time anyway and all got along great.

 

Now, being placed at a dining table during breakfast and lunch left alot to be desired. Three times, I thought for sure, I was on Punk'd. During one meal, I had to excuse myself, before finishing my meal, because I couldn't bear to watch the guy across from me take another bite. That was the day that was really rocky and I was already nauseous. The next afternoon, we were almost seated with him again, and I just let other people in front of me, until the table filled up.